Technology has given us a lot of amazing things: air conditioning, Keurigs, free internet porn. Still, there’s one nagging problem that technology has yet to find the solution for: the common cold.
To date, there is no cure for the common cold. But there are plenty of simple treatments and quick fixes out there that can help relieve symptoms and make you feel better overall. By applying these changes, you’ll be in a better position to heal naturally and recover quickly.
Here are 10 tips to help you battle the cold and get you up and running in no time.
1) Try an over-the-counter remedy.
Many people swear that zinc lozenges like Cold-Eeze and Zicam work like a charm in terms of reducing your symptoms, especially if you take them within the first day or two of your cold. One caveat: while the Mayo Clinic suggests that zinc may help prevent cold viruses from multiplying, and while some small studies support this, there’s probably not enough hard research out there to say for sure that it works.
2) Relieve your stress.
“When you’re under stress, your immune system ends up under-reacting to viral and bacterial infections,” says Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, M.D., internist and past president of the American College of Physicians. Perhaps that’s why University of Wisconsin researchers found that mindfulness meditation training reduced the incidence, duration, and severity of a cold by 35 to 60 percent.
3) Increase your H2O intake.
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The more water you drink, the more your mucus can thin out and break up congestion. Getting enough fluids can also help prevent headache and fatigue. “Hydration helps keep your nasal passages moist, so they can actually get rid of little particles from bacteria,” Dr. Fryhofer says. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages, which can worsen your dehydration.
4) Gargle with salt water.
Gargling with salt water a few times a day during cold and flu season may help with swelling and loosening of the mucus. Mix and dissolve about one-half teaspoon of salt in warm water and gargle a few times a day.
5) Take a steamy shower.
The steam from a hot shower can moisten your throat and nasal passages as well as help loosen congestion. This also helps to relax your aches and muscles.
6) Apply hot and cold packs.
Applying either a hot or cold pack can help to relieve your congested sinuses. You can get one at a drug store or make your own using a damp washcloth heated for 20 seconds at a time in a microwave, or use a small bag of frozen produce instead.
7) Pause Your Workout.
Regular moderate exercise is best for warding off bugs, but once you’ve actually caught a cold, take a rest. “You just need to listen to your body,” Fryhofer says. “Don’t try to push through it.”
8) Eat the right foods.
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Your mom was right: Having chicken soup when you’re sick can help cleat the nasal passages and congestion. A cup of hot, ginger tea can also help to clear congestion and soothe the throat.
9) Catch enough Z’s.
Getting enough sleep is critical to keeping your immune system strong, which you will need to fight germs and ward off a cold faster. A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who slept less than 7 hours a night were three times more susceptible to colds than those who slept 8 or more hours per night.
10) Blow your nose — often.
Don’t be that guy in the office who grosses everyone out with his sniffles and mucus-sucking sounds. Blow your nose into a Kleenex like a gentleman. (To avoid causing pressure in your eardrums, press a finger lightly on one nostril and blow out the other.)
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